News

Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Tuesday evening, a weather event that may have been a small tornado or a microburst, cut through Wrentham. (Editors note: On Wednesday, National Weather Service confirmed it was a 80 mph tornado.) It hit near Lake Pearl, the center of town and traveled down Route 140, knocking trees and branches down. Once the weather cleared, Wrentham Town Common suffered the most dramatic damage with one of its large maple trees uprooted and resting across the sidewalk.

According to Wrentham Fire Chief James McMorrow, the town appears to be in good shape although they did receive a call about a kayaker in trouble on Lake Pearl. He says the person was able to get off the water on his own over by Eagle Brook Dam. There were reports of small power outages and a car was crushed by a tree in Pediatric Specialists parking lot, off South St. Also, the fire alarms at Trinity Church went off but there didn't seem to be any damage and might have been caused by a lightning strike. Chief McMorrow was informed by Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) that radar readings indicated a tornado may have hit in town. DPW workers and the town tree warden, Ray Rose, were already cutting up the maple to clear its branches from South St. and the sidewalk.

Emily Douglas, working at Reliable Cleaners, took shelter in the building's bank vault. Last century, the Reliable Cleaners' building was once a bank, and its vault served as the perfect shelter from the storm. Douglas watched as the Town Common tree fell. "It was scary," Douglas said. "There was a white wall of rain and I saw the tree go down from the vault."

Rhode Island's Ashely Marie, a Boston commuter heading to Cumberland, said she saw the clouds turning slightly and it looked to her like a small tornado. "It disappeared quickly," she said. "It was right after lightning. There was a complete downpour with small hail. I kept going to Cumberland."

She did manage to take this picture of the clouds which she posted to Twitter.

Contact Town Emergency responders at (508) 384-3131 if you see any power-lines down or if you need help.

Monday, April 13, 2015

The Wrentham DPW Water Division will be flushing water mains and hydrants for approximately five (5) weeks as part of an ongoing preventative maintenance program to improve water quality. Flushing will occur Sunday, April 12, 2015 through Friday, April 17, 2015 between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The areas affected during the week will be the Center of Town and around Lake Archer and Lake Pearl involving a portion of South Street and side streets, Franklin Street and side streets and Creek Street and side streets. Also affected will be East Street and side streets from the Center of Town to Thurston Street.

Flushing will occur from Monday, April 20, 2015 through Friday, April 24, 2015 between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The areas affected during the week will be East Street (Route 140) and side streets from the Center of Town to Winter Street, Thurston Street and side streets from East Street to Route 1, Taunton Street and side streets from Common Street to 381 Taunton Street, Madison Street and side streets from East Street to 369 Madison Street, Dedham Street (Route 1/A) and side streets from the Center of Town to Winter Street and Winter Street and side streets.

Flushing will occur from Sunday, April 26, 2015 through Friday, May 1, 2015 between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The areas affected during the week will be Foxboro Road (Route 140) and side streets from Everett Street to the Foxboro town line, Dedham Street and side streets from Winter Street to the Norfolk town line, Washington Street (Route 1) and side streets, Madison Street and side streets from 515 Madison Street to the Plainville town line, Thurston Street and side streets from Route 1 to 617 Thurston Street, May Street and side streets, Park Street and side streets, Shears Street and side streets and streets around Mirror Lake.

Flushing will occur, this week, from Sunday, May 3, 2015 through Friday, May 8, 2015, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The areas affected during the week will be Shears Street and side streets, streets around Mirror Lake, Taunton Street from 391 to 584, Beach Street and side streets, South Street (Route 1/A) and side streets from Eastside Road to the Plainville town line including Wampanoag Estates and Wrentham Premium Outlets, and West Street (Route 121) and side streets from Wampum Corner to Sheldon Road.

Flushing will occur, this week, from Sunday, May 10, 2015 through Friday, May 15, 2015, between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. The areas affected during the week will be West Street and side streets from Burnt Swamp Road to Luke Street including Kings Grant Estates, Wrentham Village and Pleasant View Estates. The semi-annual Flushing Program should conclude this week.

Customers are advised that a drop in pressure and some discoloration of the water may occur while the flushing is in progress. If this occurs, you should wait until we are out of the area and then run your cold water for several minutes and it should clear up.

Any questions should be directed to the Water Division at (508) 384-5477.
(Source: Town of Wrentham Web site.)

Monday, October 13, 2014

Since the late 1980s, Raymond Hospital on the campus of the Wrentham Developmental Center sat empty awaiting its fate. After a bidding process was conducted in the spring, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts finally closed the chapter on the 33,600 square foot hospital that was once a prominent fixture at the state run facility.

“It was a 100 bed, modern hospital,” says Ingrid Grenon author of From One Century to the Next: A History of Wrentham State School and the Institutional Model in Massachusetts. “I write extensively about it in my book.”

Built for $900,000, the hospital which included an operating room, was dedicated in 1957 and named after Dr. C. Stanley Raymond, who served as the superintendent of Wrentham State School from 1932 until 1955. According to Grenon, attendees at the ceremony included Raymond and his family, members of the Department of Mental Health, representatives of then Governor Foster Furcolo, and then Superintendent Dr. Karl V. Quinn.

At the ceremony Raymond, along with Dr. Thomas Pugh of the Department of Mental Health, reportedly argued for more research money, more buildings and more help to care for the State’s children with severe developmental disabilities.

Time was not kind to the three-story brick hospital. By the 1980s it fell into disrepair and according to state officials it was determined renovation would be too costly. It was replaced by the May Center in April of 1988, which is a small acute care facility, with the potential for 30 beds, and is now staffed as a 12-bed infirmary for the purpose of treating acute medical illness, diagnostic evaluation, reassessment of chronic illness, and close medical or nursing observation.

Actual deconstruction of the Raymond Hospital began on September 29th. The building was down as of October 1st. The enormous amount of debris generated was trucked away.

The area will be filled in and landscaped. The plans call for new plantings and reseeding. Also, lighting and parking will be added.

To learn more about Raymond Hospital and the history of Wrentham Developmental Center, check out Grenon's book which is available on Amazon.

Thursday, September 11, 2014

A ceremony to remember September 11, 2001 was held Thursday night in the front of the Wrentham 9/11 Memorial. The brief gathering was organized and led by members of Wrentham Boy Scout Troop 131 and included members of Wrentham's emergency responders. The Scouts marched onto the Town Hall's lawn, the home to the 9/11 Memorial, presented the American Flag and led the crowd in the Pledge of Allegiance. Members of Wrentham Police and Fire lined the brick path in front of the memorial. In addition to the placing of the wreath, a moment of silence was held, followed by the playing of God Bless America.

"This is a tragedy we can not forgot," said Boy Scout Ryan Skinner, the service's only speaker. "May it never happen again."

This was the third year Wrentham held a ceremony next to the town's 9/11 Memorial. In 2012, the memorial was dedicated after Boy Scout Troy Neubecker led a town-wide campaign to raise funds for its construction. Since its unveiling, the Boy Scouts have continued to hold annual ceremonies in honor of the victims of 9/11.

Monday, October 21, 2013

In a brick building on the campus of Wrentham Developmental Center is a sophisticated broadcast facility faithfully serving the town. Since 2004, Wrentham Cable Access has called WDC home and currently, the station is in the midst of a major renovation of its space. Once completed, Wrentham Cable Access will have a new and larger soundproof studio complete with a green screen, a new control room, improvements to its smaller studio, and upgrades to equipment. “The renovation is quite extensive,” says Frank Whitehead, Wrentham Cable Access, Station Manager. “It will totally change the look and feel of the station.”

Even under construction, Wrentham Cable Access has the appearance of a major television station. The main studio, which will become the smaller studio once the renovation is completed, is filled with high end HD television cameras and lighting fixtures. New walls are being built around the space to reduce external sounds and a new control room is being installed that will work with both studios. The new main studio will be larger and soundproof.

Wrentham Cable Access is a non-profit corporation and doesn't receive any funding from the town. Its operation and any improvements are funded by money it receives from Verizon and Comcast to operate the Public, Educational and Government access channels. The station broadcasts town meetings, educational programs, local sports, community events, and posts community announcements.

The station is also used by residents to create original content. Candidates running for town positions record messages about themselves, and others use the studios to produce original shows, such as The Grapevine, the long running program which covers local politics.

Recently, the station played a major role in the success of Wrentham Community Events’ Dancing with the Wrentham Stars. The fundraising event relied heavily on video and Wrentham Cable Access was involved in recording and editing most of it. The station also took on the challenge of doing a live broadcast of the show from Lake Pearl Luciano's. “Frank and his team were absolutely critical in executing our vision for this event,” says Cal Harkins, Wrentham Community Events, President. “They worked incredibly hard for three solid months doing interviews, editing tape, adding graphics, adjusting sound and
background, etc. There were a total of 18 videos involved and Frank had to pull them all together into one seamless production.”

Harkins said the live broadcast was a big component to the Dancing with the Wrentham Stars program, but it almost didn't happen. She says Whitehead and his volunteers worked for months to acquire the necessary equipment to broadcast live and the night of the show there was a major blizzard making it more complicated. “Cable 8 worked extremely hard throughout the entire event,” she says. “This was a huge win for those that were unable to get tickets or folks unable to leave their homes. In particular, the residents of the Wrentham Developmental Center who, we were told, were thrilled to hear Scott Zolak [the events MC ] say hello to them on TV.”

In addition to the broadcasting functions of the studio, Wrentham Cable Access provides training on different editing software packages. Whitehead says, typically he will have 3 to 4 people come in to learn a video editing program which is offered for free to Wrentham residents. There are also five editing suites available to residents to work on videos, slide shows and to learn different programs. The editing equipment will also be upgraded with installation of large monitors. If you have a project to work on, Whitehead says, “Come on down.”

Other improvements are coming. Both Comcast and Verizon are upgrading their networks and the quality of signal should improve to the homes throughout Wrentham. Currently, the signal Wrentham Cable Access sends to the two Cable providers is high quality, but when it is sent out to the homes it degrades. The installation of fiber optics will help and residents should see improvements by the end of 2013.

The future plans from Wrentham Cable Access are also ambitious. Wrentham Developmental Center has agreed to let the station build its own facility. Whitehead says that is many years away but for now their space will be new and improved. He hopes more residents stop in and take advantage of the station and he adds, his coffee is pretty good. “People stop in for my coffee all the time,” he says.

Monday, September 23, 2013

Are you a woman who has recently moved to the Wrentham area, or recently retired with more free time, or just looking to become more involved in the community? The Holly Club of Wrentham, an active social and civic organization for women which was organized 114 years ago, is open and welcoming to new members. Our first meeting will be our traditional pot luck supper, scheduled at Trinity Church at 6:30 PM Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2013. If you are interested in learning more about our group, or would like to attend, please contact Caron at 508-479-5589.

Members are reminded to bring their donations of women’s and children’s socks and underwear for New Hope, and fruits and canned goods for the Food Pantry to the meeting. Thank you, everyone.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Close to 100 people gathered on the front lawn of Wrentham Town Hall to collectively remember the events of September 11, 2001. Boy Scout Troop 131 led a brief and solemn ceremony that included the placing of a wreath, Taps, and a moment of silence. The master of ceremonies was Dan White. Other scouts that participated included bugler Robby Hepburn, color guards Joseph Botaish and Matt Smith, and the wreath was placed by Troy Neubecker, the scout that led the efforts to erect the Wrentham Remembers 9/11 Memorial. Also in attendance were members of Wrentham Police and Fire Departments, and Wrentham American Legion. Last year, the memorial was dedicated. To view pictures from the ceremony click Wrentham 9/11 Photo Essay.

Sunday, September 08, 2013

Mother Nature delivered a perfect Saturday for the community to come out for Wrentham Day. Vendors and community groups were on hand. Residents enjoyed the Wrentham Wroad Wrace, music, the giant banana split sponsored by Wrentham Lions, chowder provided by the Pioneer Engine Company, and more. Congratulations to Patrick Foster and Melissa Booth for being the first male and female residents to finish the Wroad Wrace respectively. Also, congratulations to Wrentham Recreation for putting together another successful event.